Page 23 of 23 Hours

When I don’t find Kit in the main living areas, I check out the only place she could be. At the threshold of my bedroom, I pause as I catch a hottie propped against the headboard of my bed, her body tucked under the blankets, wearing one of my older shirts as she indulges in one of my favorite pastimes.

Happy to watch her all day, I rest my shoulder against the frame and stifle a yawn. “Whatcha readin’?” I prompt when she doesn’t notice my presence.

Kit startles, eyes jerking up from the pages. “Oh. Hi. Um. Hey… A book.” Holding her spot, she lifts the evidence. “I promise I wasn’t snooping.Much,anyhow.” The beauty shrugs, wearing a coy smile like she’s trying to decipher if I’m gonna get angry or let her nosy ways slide.

Even if I was in the mental state to care, I don’t see a reason to be upset.

I grin. It’s lopsided and half-assed on account of exhaustion. “You were bored, huh?” I tease.

“I was. Sorry.” Kit lays the open book on her lap, pages down, to give me her undivided attention. I appreciate she cares enough to give a damn I’m here. Most would keep on keepin’ on. Janie does. Though she’s a teenager, and this is her home. Different circumstances, I guess.

“Nothing to be sorry for.” I scratch my forehead and blink a dozen times to stay upright. “I’m just glad you’re still here. You know you could’ve sat in, oh, I dunno, the living room.” I thumb that away in reference.

Kit tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she looks up at me through her lashes—innocent and uncomfortable. “I don’t think outsiders are welcome here.” She chews her bottom lip.

I frown.

Whatever gave her that idea? Did something happen? Was Janie not inviting, as I explicitly stated she should be in the letter I left this morning? Guess that’s another thing I’ll have to get to the bottom of later.

Not liking howthe wordoutsiderforms on Kit’s lips, I let my feelings be known. “Outsiders, no. You, yes. So, how you likin’ the book?” I flick my chin at the well-worn black-and-red cover. It’s my favorite of the series. Read it half a dozen times already.

Wearing a thoughtful smile, she caresses the spine with two fingers. “It’s very good. I’m kind of surprised you have it.”

I’m sure she is.

“Why? ’Cause I’m a man?” I wink.

“It’s a romance.”

Eh. Sorta. Kinda.

“And men don’t read romance?” I bait, loving how our conversations bob and weave, regardless of the topic. No judgment. No bullshit.

Readjusting on the bed to get situated, the corner of Kit’s mouth twitches in barely concealed amusement. “Not really.”

See, that’s where she’s wrong.

“The series is about badass warrior vamps who listen to rap music and carry weapons to protect their species. It’s not just sex and romance. There’s action and a well-thought-out plot. Nuff said.”

“It’s still romance,” she counters, her lips spreading into a brilliant ha-ha-gotcha smile.

Oh, she wants to play it that way. All right. I’m down.

“It’s not romance. It’s the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Not the same thing.”

“Romance.” Her nose turns up, all highfalutin’ and shit. It’s cute. Funny, too. She’s lovin’ this banter as much as I am. Nobody else knows about my reading habit. I keep it on the DL for good reason. The brothers would have a field day with the material I enjoy.

“Fuck. Fine.” I sigh loudly, for show. “It’s romance. But it’s a badass romance. Not sappy shit.”

Satisfied with my forfeit, Kit winks. The blush that creeps up her cheeks is sexy. Especially when she’s wearin’ my shirt, and God knows what else underneath those covers.

“Where’d you find it?” She gestures to the book.

I run a hand over my bald head and yawn. “Katrina, an old lady from the Texas chapter, mailed everyone books for Christmas last year. She used to be a librarian. I got that book,Dark Lover. When I asked her old man if it was a joke, he said to read the damn thing. I did…” At night, when I wasn’t busy fucking Niki or another random club whore. It’s always nice to wind down with a good book.

“And now you read vampire romance.”

Here we go again.

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